And it is done without a level of arrogance or exclusivity; the egalitarian design of the hotels' common spaces, from the two lobbies to the design of the buffet area, are all oriented towards these goals. The result is that the common spaces blend extremely well together and families with kids have a chance to enjoy their vacations while couples and those traveling alone can also enjoy the facilities as well.
The facility manager can continually strive to provide this "separateness" in the design of the hotels' open spaces by differentiating areas by the use of colors, fabrics, carpeting and traffic flows. It is very evident just on these cues what areas of the hotel you are in at any time. The subdued reed separation walls and thicker coaches are for the couples and adults traveling together. They are separated from the sturdy plastic tables and chairs for children and families. Overall this hotel does a brilliant job of using facilities management to accentuate the customer experience.
United Airlines Business Class Lounge at Los Angeles International Airport, Bradley Terminal
At the opposite extreme is the utilitarian, stark cold atmosphere and facilities of the business lounge of United Airlines in the Tom Bradley Terminal of LAX. The culture of Unite thrives on a distinct class-based caste system of flyers by their award levels, and the Business Class terminal tends to overflow with customers who have had their egos pumped up so United can get away with charging them exorbitant ticket prices to fly across the Atlantic or Pacific. The result: a sterile, at times arrogant atmosphere that is designed purely for the B2B customer. United wants the global road warrior as the long-haul flights to Europe and Asia is where they make their greatest profits. Ironically this business terminal is battleship gray and blue, has no windows to show if flights are ready to go, and has no massive flat panels to tell you when a flight is leaving or not. The seats are cold black...
It is a depressing place and there is not a lot of warmth in this place, yet it is promoted as a "award" for flying with them so much. Meeting rooms are entirely enclosed with no views and often are booked with two or three people working on projects. The entire environment feels more like a very serious business office, not a place you'd want to hang out before flying ten or more hours to another continent. It is sterile, cold, business like with a laser-like precision of execution. Even for those with the most miles and highest status, this is not a welcoming environment.
The facility manager needs to make this place show signs of life. Bringing in bright windows or even relocating this terminal to an area with better ambient light would be a big improvement. Second, the facility is not responsive enough to customers' needs for information or flight updates. Nothing will tell you if your flight has been delayed, is leaving now or the status of weather on your flight path. Third, the "rewards" of eating canned nuts and drinking cans of soft drinks makes the claims of exclusivity seem like a lie. United fails to deliver on the massive promises they make of luxury. Fourth, the seats and carpeting, black and deep blue, are meant to convey luxury yet they act as an exclamation point on a place that is decidedly more utilitarian than customer-focused.
References
Mike Hoots. (2005). Customer relationship management for facility managers. Journal of Facilities Management, 3(4), 346-361.
Naumann, E., Haverila, M., Khan, M., & Williams, P.. (2010). Understanding the causes of defection among satisfied B2B service customers. Journal of Marketing Management, 26(9/10), 878.
Matthew Tucker, & Michael Pitt. (2009). Customer performance measurement in facilities management: A strategic approach. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 58(5), 407-422.
